5 Minutes With

I just finished talking with Lil Jon (see 5 Minutes With) out front Barbados Int'l Airport and decided to head to the gate so I don't miss my flight home. It wouldn't be the 1st time, but we cannot afford to get stuck in BIM for another day … people to do, things to see (lol … sleep on it). Sitting quietly by the gate waiting for 1st class passengers to be called is the one and only, "The Human Beat Box" Doug E. Fresh! You know, early hip-hop classics like "The Show" and "La Di Da Di". Then onto Soca hits like "We Not Giving Up" with Machel. The man is seriously talented!! And did you know Doug E. was born in Barbados? And one of his parents is actually from....

I can't type a writeup for this interview without dancing in my seat and chanting "Go Stabby, Go Stabby, Go Stabby Go"! With one of the most infectious songs ("Go Stabby") this Cropover, Stabby de Guard has proved himself to be a serious force to be reckoned with! You could be at a fete having a real deep conversation with someone but once this chune comes on, all bets are off! Bumpa wuk, wuk! 5 Minutes With Stabby starts right .... NOW!

Mix Juice coming to you straight from Notting Hill Carnival with a special 5 Minutes interview with one of Toronto’s premiere DJ’s, D’Bandit.  As I was jamming at the TRIBE UK fete, I couldn’t help but say to myself, “…But that music sweet! Who is that DJ?”  Look D’Bandit! In the midst of the showing of the costumes and the boisterous crowd singing along to chunes, I managed to squeeze in a couple of pictures and laughs with my favorite Grenadian DJ.

Crop Over 2k8 done! Shockingly I arrived at the Grantley Adams International Airport early to catch my flight out, so I decided to grab some breakfast. On my last bite, I looked to my left, and sitting on a bench not to far away was ‘The King of Crunk’, Atlanta’s very own rapper & producer, Lil Jon!! At first I said, “WHAT?” But then I remembered that he was in town to perform at Cohobblopot along side Machel Montano HD and Pitbull for their popular 2k8 hit “Defense (The Anthem Remix)” …. YEAAAH! Although he was exhausted from his 1st Crop Over experience, Lil Jon still showed TJJ love, and decided to chat with us for 5 minutes. Let’s Go!

It was history in the making on July 12th 2008 at Six Flags Great Adventure in New Jersey.  Machel Montano and Friends performed in front of the first ever sold out Six Flags show.  10.000 people filled the arena with flags in hand and smiles on their faces.  We caught up with Farmer Nappy amidst all the excitement right before he was going to go onstage for some conversation and a lot of laughs.

Since the Memorial Day Carnival celebrations in Atlanta back in May, the Atlanta people have been craving the Soca vibes. Wasi Entertainment has provided just that and launched the first ever “Soca In The City” at Endenu Bar and Lounge in Downtown Atlanta, and to kick things off, the Island of Montserrat has shown up on the scene again. Besides Arrow's “Hot, Hot, Hot” and the Volcano erupting in 2003, the 'hottest' new wave out of the 9,000 people strong Island is Jadine - The Soca Diva. Jadine is the first of many to perform at “Soca In The City” according to Wasi Entertainment. JoyJuice caught up with Jadine before she took to the stage.

The scene: Machel Montano's HD concert in Toronto, vibes strong! People everywhere anxious to hear one of the biggest chunes of the Carnival season "Out on De Road" by Zan and you know there was no way TJJ could let the opportunity to get personal with Zan pass! So after a likkle sweet eye to the promoters (just kidding..iz TJJ yuh know..we have it like dat!) we managed to find a hideaway backstage and our interview was on like boil corn. 5 Minutes with Zan starts now!

When you think about West Indian DJs in New York, one name that definitely comes to mind is Trinidadian DJ, Sounds4Life. Spinning wikid chunes every Thursday at Shorblu's Vice fete at Aura, Sounds4Life always knows how to get a session started! In the midst of all the whining and the drink waving, I snuck up to the DJ booth and got my interview, yelling questions into Sounds4Life's ear and laughing all the way through!

At the recent "Best of the Best 2008" concert held in Miami, TJJ caught up with red-hot Dancehall producer and artist, Serani, the craftsman behind Sean Paul's smash hit, "We Be Burning", as well Tony Matterhorn's "Dutty Wine", Busy Signal's "These Are the Days", Bugle's "Exercise", Elephant Man's "Willie Bounce", and Mavado's international hit "Dying", just to name a few. The hits just keep coming for this man!

Hey all! The 5 Minutes Crew rolled through Maracas Nightclub (formally Rum Jungle) in Queens to check out the King of the Dancehall himself, Beenie Man in concert! When I tell you we had a time! We had A TIME! Hands and rags in the air, all kind of ting! We managed to wrangle up 5 minutes with Beenie after he completely tore up the stage!